Saturday, November 18, 2023, Tom Pepper, Zhouqin Burnikel

  Saturday Themeless by Tom Pepper and Zhoquin Burnikel 

Tom has been a great friend of C.C.'s for years and after she suffered the loss of Boomer, he really stepped up and helped her through those hard days. Tom is also a constructor and has collaborated with C.C. on previous puzzles. This one was full of cleverness from top to bottom and it took me 30 fun minutes to earn my "got 'er done".

This is a lovely picture from June of 2019 of Tom's wife Terri, Boomer, Tom and C.C. Our lovely blogmistress told me that Tom is 6'5" and would probably beat me at golf. Tom is the finance director for the city of Egan, MN and here is a nice interview with him.

Across:

1. Online confirmation: I'M NOT A ROBOT - Look familiar?

12. __ sum: DIM - Dim sum is a large range of small Cantonese dishes that are traditionally enjoyed in restaurants for brunch.

15. Keyboard solo with several movements: PIANO SONATA - I only know of Beethoven's SONATA No. 14 better known as he haunting Moonlight Sonata 

16. Lab eggs: OVA.

17. "Thoughts?": ANY COMMENTS - At the bottom of all my write-ups.

18. Auction gesture: NOD.

19. Out of juice: DEAD - The indication of the problem and the solution

20. Some two-yr. degrees: AAS.

21. Leave no doubt about: ASSURE.

23. Yearbook gp.: SRS.

24. Covered with beads?: SWEATY 😀

25. Chai spice blend: MASALA - To most Westerners, it is a little known fact that the word 'chai' simply means 'tea' in Hindi. Therefore, all teas are technically chai. In America, the word 'chai' has come to mean tea with a generous amount of spices often served as a deliciously sweetened latte. You're welcome.

29. Sound quality?: HEALTH 😀 Would "Sound as a dollar" be a good thing these days?

30. Try to get in: APPLY.

31. Place where people might exchange rings: PAWN SHOP 😀

33. Utah's state rock: COAL - Info on Utah's state mineral, rock and gem

34. Trees rich in terpenes: PINES - Terpine info

Conifer resin like in
this PINE can be used
to make terpines

35. "This Is Us" director Ken: OLIN.

37. Field that involves drawing and folding: PRO POKER - 😀 I got the POKER reference right away but had to play around with the rest of the fill

39. Bring up to date, say: AMEND - Augusta National did AMEND its membership policy in 2012. More info

40. Does taxing work online?: E-FILES - Turbo Tax finds all the right forms, remembers what I put in last year, does the computations and E-FILES for me. 

41. Pamplona party: FIESTA - No Pamplona bulls here 😀; just the Spanish word for party.

42. Froths: SPUMES.

43. "I w-wish I'd brought a sw-sweater!": BRR.

44. "Don't rush me!": IN A SEC.

45. __ chi: TAI - Would you like to learn?

46. Post production?: NEWS - 😀

50. Title in "Game of Thrones": SER.

51. Undeveloped expanse: NATURAL AREA.

54. Body image?: TAT 😀

55. Prehistoric beast with a large bony frill: TRICERATOPS - There was a sick one in Jurassic Park

56. Sanctions: OKS.

57. Crystal and Rock, notably: OSCARS HOSTS - Here they are plus someone else...

Down:

1. Tablet with Procreate: IPAD.

2. Go for the gold?: MINE 😀 

3. Brand whose name derives from the Greek for "water nymph": NAYA.

4. Like much music of the 1990s: ON CD.

5. Besides: TOO.

6. Capital north of Addis Ababa: ASMARA - A 21 hour drive north 

7. Marinara ingredients: ROMAS - 

8. Binary digits: ONES - My age in Binary (base 2)

9. Secret rival: BAN 😀 I'm a Mennen Speed Stick man myself. TMI?

10. Senators' supporters, most likely: OTTAWANS - These are not in the capital building

11. Fringe elements: TASSELS.

12. Sweet centers: DONUT HOLES.

13. Shade similar to eggshell: IVORY.

14. Arrived just in time for: MADE - Hopefully they MADE the flight

22. Didn't go out: SAT HOME.

23. Calculating: SLY.

24. Pipes down?: SEWER 😀

25. Apple variety?: MAC - We have one with a 21" monitor.

26. Per person: A POP - These Super Bowl tickets went for $900 A POP at face value

27. Garage stock: SPARE PARTS 😀

28. The whole gang: ALL OF US.

29. Beefy-T brand: HANES - Made of heavier fabric

31. Medieval spears: PIKES - The protectors of the Pope, the Swiss Guard, carry one today

32. Bloodmobile unit: PINT.

34. Some racing leaders: POLE CARS - The POLE CAR has earned the right to be in the front row nearest the inside for the start. Historically they win the Indy 500 about twenty per cent of the time 

36. Confidentiality doc: NDA - All of Taylor Swift's employees sign a strict Non-Disclosure Agreement.

38. __ cheese: PIMENTO - A favorite of mine for over 60 years

39. Get out in the open: AIR.

41. Men following an order: FRIARS - 😀

42. Creep: SNEAK - Pink Panther music leapt to my mind

43. More exposed: BARER.

44. Colon, at times: IS TO - My guesses at the bottom

45. "__ & Bertie": animated series starring Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong: TUCA.

      Ali and Tiffany     

46. Gp. whose alphabet includes Romeo and Juliet: NATO - From Gary Alpha Romeo Yankee

47. God with wings: EROS.

48. Broke down: WEPT.

49. Fresh answers: SASS 😀

52. Classic game opener: TIC - Tac Toe

53. __-di-dah: LAH.

My analogy guesses are 1 E and 2 B.